New TP-Link Hub
At last week’s Mobile World Congress, TP-Link showed off its new Matter compatible smart home hub, the Tapo H500 Smart HomeBase. The HomeBase is different from other hubs as it acts essentially as a docking station for any compatible tablet and uses the TP-Link Tapo app to monitor connected devices like security cameras and smart sensors. A USB-C connection links the hub to a compatible tablet with the hub providing built-in storage (16GB for storing video footage) and the ability to connect 64 types of smart home devices over Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Matter, or Thread.
The Circana Take:
- With Matter and Thread adoption there has been an increase in smart hub product announcements in recent months. This will continue to be the case as users look to ensure products installed in the home will be compatible with newly purchased products.
Aqara Releases a Smart Light
Among the new Matter-enabled products Aqara has recently announced, the Ceiling Light T1M might be the most noticeable. The light features a range of 16 million different colors but adds an independently controllable RBG ring on the outside rim. The ring can be programmed to create a gradient effect but can also serve as a status indicator for other smart home products. For instance, the ring can be programmed to show a specific color when a connected device (such as a water leak sensor) detects an issue.
The Circana Take:
- Aqara’s investment in Matter is driving multiple product announcements. The addition of a connected ceiling light to the brand’s portfolio shows Aqara is committed to growing in multiple areas of the smart home market- not just the sensors and power products the company was limited to a short time ago.